What if there was a way not only to stop the flow of plastic into our oceans but also to empower communities in building environmental protections from the ground up?
Marea Verde (or “Green Tide”) is accomplishing just that through an initiative in Panama to reduce plastic pollution in rivers and oceans. The program uses a clean energy machine named Wanda, a water wheel that harnesses hydraulic power from the river to collect garbage.
Impressively, about 50% of the collected trash is recycled, but Wanda is just one part of their larger goal, which is to improve public services and education so communities can dispose of trash responsibly. Marea Verde, a recipient of The McNulty Prize, is also actively working with communities, governments, and children to spread awareness and engage them in a robust, holistic solution to the global plastic crisis.